Across the Wooden Chessboard
by ThyWordSmith
Summary: Amber's plot to destroy the Syndicate, and Hell's Gate. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**Queen of the Board**

The chessboard was nothing special, but it had been a gift. The white squares were a pale-golden brown, while the black squares were a dark mahogany. The pieces matched the color of the squares; white was the same golden-brown, and black the same mahogany. She set out the pieces, and then named them; Amagiri and Maki; her loyal rooks; November and Wei Zhijun; deadly bishops; and Brita for all her uses, was just a knight, same as April. Her pawns; Mao, Huang, Yin, and countless other Contractors and Dolls.

And then finally the royal couple; Amber and Hei. Queen and King. She, she was the Queen: she was easily the most powerful player on the board. No offense to Hei. But he was the King, because he had to be protected, sacrificing pieces if it had to come to that, because if the king was taken, the game was over, and they would win.

Amber bent down, and gazed at the opposition's side. From here, they seemed impenetrable and undefeatable, but they were pieces, just like Amber's, and with the right time and the right strategy, they could be defeated.

They were the Syndicate, and this was war. But as white, Amber had to fire the first shot.

She picked up her pawn, and placed it on the square.

"Amagiri?" Amber's voice was soft and lilting.

"Yeah." Amagiri stuck his head in the doorway.

"Please get me all the Intel, our Dolls have been receiving. Oh, and fetch me a phone would you; I have some calls to make."

"Sure thing."

Once he was gone, Amber studied the board. Amagiri returned, and passed her the phone. It left her, knowing it was private. She picked up the phone, and dialed the number a friend had given her, so long ago.

Keith Alexander was possibly the most peaceful Contractor alive; unlike his fellow brethren, Keith did not engage in fights, brawls, crimes, missions or any type of violence at all. He was a congressman, who spoke for human rights. He was well-known, and had a good reputation in the international world of politics. All of that was going to change. He had received the call from Amber, and had pulled the speech out from the secret drawer in the desk. His scheduled speech was in a few minutes, and he drove there.

He pushed through the press that surrounded the podium, and walked to the lectern.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, most of you know me as Keith Alexander. I am normally associated with fighting for justice, and have spoken for refugees, civil rights, and sweatshop workers. These are all good things; yes? Keep that in mind."

He paused, watching the audience. Now was the time.

"Suppose I told you I was a Contractor, how would you react? I know many of you regard Contractor's as a myth; but suppose they were…real?"

He fixed his eyes on the woman sitting in the front row, and heard the audience gasp as they saw his luminous, blue body, and red eyes.

"What if I was a Contractor; does that make me any less good? Does it make me a cold-blooded killer? Does that make me as soulless and as heartless as the criminals I seek to destroy? Does it?"

"Right now, you're paralyzed. That's what I can do. I have to take sugar pills as my Contract. Does that make me, different from you?"

"I am here today; to tell you that every Contractor, as a species, demands equal rights to humans. We wish to be acknowledged as race, and not hidden from the public. This is who we are."

"Thank you."

Keith calmly walked down from the podium, and only till he had locked the door behind him, did he release the paralysis. He could shouts, and thumps on the door. He ran to his car, and got in. He had just thrown away his career, and his good life, in a few minutes; but was it worth it? Yes. He turned on his phone, and called Amber. She answered immediately;

"It's done."

He hung up.

Later that night, Amber sat in front of the chessboard, reading the reports Amagiri had sent her. The Syndicate were blocking everything up; the speech had been deleted, the audience's memory washed, as well as the cameramen, and the press. But it had gotten out; it was on the internet, and every blog in the country. Rumors had it that Keith Alexander had a death warrant on his head.

Amber pursed her lips; so that was their move. She placed black's pawn one square up. It was defensive move, but it signalled a threat too.

Keith would be taking interviews now, answering questions, confirming rumors. He would create a media buzz so big, that everyone would know about Contractors.

Amber would work out the next move tomorrow.

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter: I loved linking characters to the chess pieces. I've got to work out Amber's next move tomorrow :P **


	2. Chapter 2

**Tokyo**

Amber pursed her lips. Then, she calmly picked up her left  
knight-Brita- and placed it so it was defending her pawn. She then  
picked up her small, pink and cheap phone, and called Brita.

'Hello?' Brita's voice, like always, was seductive and playful.

'Hi, it's Amber.' Her voice was soft and sweet.

Amber could hear the change in her voice; it lost it's devil-may-care  
accent, and turned low and important.

'What is it?'

'Listen closely...'

**California**

The woman crouched in the eighth floor parking lot, in the Agora Mall,  
leaning halfway out the window. Her thumb and forefinger created an  
'o' as they pointed towards to sunny street. The man standing there  
was Keith Andrews, and the Syndicate needed him to die. She squinted,  
and her body started to glow blue, as her eyesight sharpened. She  
could see the people on the street now at a close distance, and as she  
spotted Keith, she focused on his neck. Perfect. The disc of air, which  
had been balancing in between her fingers, was released, as it stabbed  
Keith Andrews. It neatly took his head off, and it was so fast he  
didn't have time to feel the pain.

**Tokyo**

Amber pushed black's pawn, so that it was threatening hers, and then took it. They took back.

**California**

Brita watched, as she saw a young, raven-haired woman enter the seedy  
tattoo shop. Inside, the woman had taken her shirt off, wearing only  
her bra. She then requested for a tattoo on her back; one in the shape  
of a small bird. The tattooist nodded, and as he started his work, he  
noticed the multitude of tattooed birds that flew across her back.  
When he questioned her, she replied:  
'Habit of mine,' and laughed. Soon, her back was burning and ink  
stained her skin, as she walked out. Now Brita made her move: the  
world evaporated as she disappeared, only to reappear as she grabbed  
the woman, and teleport away. They appeared in a grimy alley, and as  
the woman started to glow blue, Brita vanished. The woman stared  
around in confusion. She then noticed bomb, lying on the ground.

**London  
**  
She pulled the trigger. A man stared at the naked temptress, only to  
see her vanish.

**Tokyo**

Amagiri fell to the floor, as cold lips planted themselves on his. He  
struggled, and the pressure was released. He sat up to see Brita walk  
away, completely nude.  
'I'm back.' She called.  
Amagiri stared at her behind, before shaking his head.  
'Course you are.'

Amber smiled, as the knight took the pawn. The Syndicate could take  
it, but they wouldn't. Not yet.

**Sorry for the late upload. **


End file.
